Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Broccoli and Bacon

You may have guessed that those “noodles” aren’t really pasta, but julienned zucchini. Zucchini noodles are a great alternative if you’re eating paleo, gluten-free, or low-carb. I feel like I’m the last one in the blogosphere to try them out.

Why did I wait so long? A mandoline, my friends. I was holding out for a mandoline. After asking around on Twitter doing some serious research, I found one that I liked, and after multiple uses, I still like it. If you’ve never used a mandoline slicer, you’re missing out on some seriously cool slicing action. And perhaps having a finger nearly sliced off. Given my track record with sharp objects, I probably shouldn’t be allowed to use a mandoline. I’ve been good about using the guard, though. No blood shed. . . yet.

At the end of 2015 I finally got this spiralizer, and I’ve been happily using that instead of the julienne attachment on my mandoline.

To prepare the “noodles” I used a technique I saw in Vegetable Harvest by Patricia Wells where she sprinkled the julienned zucchini with salt and let it rest in a colander to extract the moisture. In that particular recipe, she just tossed it with a simple creamy dressing and was finished. I squeezed it out a little, then threw it in a pan for a few minutes to warm up.

I was surprised at how the texture and appearance of the zucchini resembled actual pasta. I think I even giggled a few times. My kids were hesitant (I’m still trying to get them to like zucchini. Tonight we made some progress!) but I think after a few tries they’ll be slurping up those “noodles” like nobody’s business.

Especially if it’s got bacon sprinkled in it. Bacon is my insurance if I’m not sure if something will turn out well. Throw a little bacon in and a mediocre dish will rise to “pretty good” status. Instantly.

I really don’t think I needed the insurance with this, though.

Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Yield: Serves 4

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

If you're new to zoodles, this is a perfect intro. The bacon is there for insurance, but it really stands on its own!

Instructions

Place zucchini strips in a colander over a bowl or in the sink. Sprinkle zucchini with salt and toss to combine. Let the zucchini sit for 15 minutes while the salt extracts the moisture. Drain excess water, squeezing zucchini, if necessary.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning frequently. Remove bacon to a stack of paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon. Remove all but 2 T of bacon drippings from the pan.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add the green onions and broccoli, stirring frequently for about 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add zucchini and 2 T of pesto, tossing to combine all ingredients.

Taste and add more pesto, if needed. The mixture only needs to warm up, so 2-3 minutes of cooking ought to do it. Serve with bacon crumbles and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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That looks amazing! People keep leaving me zucchini on my porch, I'm trying this on Sunday! Have you ever tried Spaghetti Squash? I like it like a hundred times more than actual pasta. But man, in the summer zucchini is free! (also, please dear neighbors stop with the vegetable offerings, there is only one person here who will eat it!)

these look just great! i'm terrified of mandolines – we had to use one in my culinary class last week and i made somebody else in my group do it. i'm just sure i'll slice a finger off. but then i see dishes like this and get all jealous…which mandoline did you end up getting?

Jodi – No, I didn't peel it. I think it might be easier to slice with the peel on, but peeling would be fine, too.

megcjones – If you use the guard you have nothing to worry about :) I ended up getting the Progressive one. I linked to it within the post. It's pretty inexpensive (under $20) and I was surprised how sturdy and sharp it was for the price.

I use my Titan Peeler for this, the julienne peeler that comes in the set is perfect for zucchini pasta! Plus it's nice that I can throw it in the drawer when it's not in use, no extra parts. They do make an extra stand that makes the peeler into more of a mandolin, but I've found it to be unnecessary.

Terri – Thanks! Honestly… I think I did, too. And the funny thing is that I wasn't trying to "develop" anything. I threw it together one night for my kids when the hubs had to work late. Love it when great things happen without a lot of forethought!

I don’t think I have a traditional basil pesto recipe on my site, but Google would definitely have answers for you. Most basil pesto is just fresh basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Good luck! I hope you like this recipe!

We made stir-fry the other night and I julienne peeled the zucchini and yellow squash. At dinner, Andrew asked if I had put noodles in the stir fry! I thought it was hilarious and made a secret pact to myself that I would do this some day and not tell him (not that he would mind anyway). Then I saw your post! Sounds perfect. We’ll try this instead :)

This was my first experience with zucchini spaghetti. Your picture sold me on the idea. I bought an as seen on TV thing to julienne the veggie. The recipe was Amazing. I will definitely use this recipe again and continue with the veggie spaghetti. Thanks

Just made this. It was AMAZING. I’m on Weight Watchers and have had success substituting high-fiber pasta for regular, but this is a total game-changer. I made it with crushed tomatoes and basil to cut out the added fat in the pesto and it was delish. Thanks for sharing!

Just wanted to let you know I made this for my husband and myself tonight and it was wonderful!!! I didn’t use bacon (for health reasons) so I sliced up some cherry tomatoes and mixed them with olive oil and garlic and roasted them, then also chopped some portobello mushrooms up and sautéed them in place of the bacon. Just tossed it all together in the end. It was delicious, although I’m sure the bacon is 1000x better! But we’ll definitely be having it again!

We tried this recipe today, and we absolutely loved it! I altered it a bit – we didn’t use broccoli (as it isn’t in season and I can’t find it anywhere), and added thin slices of sundried tomatoes. My boyfriend was thrilled – we will certainly make it again! A winner!

I might add we’re on a keto diet, and we live in Italy, where most people eat pasta every day, and for me this is a lifesaving substitute for all those carbs, and a great way to add extra fat in a dish, with lots of cheese,olive oil and butter fried bacon :)

Tried this last night and really liked it. I will definitely make again. Using the mandolin took the most time; everything else was a snap. I was very cautious, though. My mother hurt herself very badly on one when she tried to use it without the guard – won’t make that mistake!

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